Hey guys, this is Abi here,
And as it is the last day in July, it's time for my monthly wrap up!
I read 12 books this month (mostly re-reads), so let's get into that!
BOOKS
Here are the books I read this month:
1. Big Little Lies, by Liane Moriarty
This was an interesting read, to say the least. It centres around three mums, and their children, ready to start school that following September. Pushed together by a friendship formed because one of the mums is under fire because of something nobody has any evidence of (single mum Jane's child Ziggy was accused of something by one of the most influential mum's and she didn't step down. This takes place in a high society estate, so you can imagine how that went down.) Even though that was big, nobody ever thought that this would result in murder. And everyone has secrets. What matters is how far you'd go to protect them.
When I say this was an interesting read, I don't mean the plot or the characters. What I mean is that this wasn't a particularly fast paced book, but you were intrigued enough that you just didn't want to put the book down. Just the group dynamic, the different relationships within this story. Wives and husbands, mums and other mums, the mums and their children, and the whole group together. If you want an infectious, slightly pulse-raising book (the intensity was something else entirely) with mystery and good character dynamic, I recommend this book in a second.
2. Nerve, by Jeanne Ryan (Re-read)
As I've already read this book, the review is on the title, and you can click that if you want to.
What I like most about this book is that this is an insanely quick read. So if you want to read something that going to make you glad your just reading a book and not doing all the crazy things in the book your reading, then I highly recommend this.
Because the dares in this game are insane. And it hits you hard, because it's so easy to picture yourself doing all these things.
But they just get bigger and bigger.
I have not seen the film yet, even though I badly want to.
But I really do like the book a lot.
It wasn't a complete choice to marathon this series until I started Northern Lights and just- didn't get too into it. (I'll get into Northern Lights when I'm talking about that book- because I did end up finishing it.) But it had been ages since I'd re-read the series and this is one of those series where I just remember a certain quote or relationship which I particularly loved, and I just felt an urge to re-read the series. (Mixed in with the fact that I didn't want to waste the days when I was attempting Northern Lights). But, and I can't stress this enough, but if your someone who enjoys reading about two people that are determined to be together, even if the odds are stacked against them- even if the only problem is that one of them is a nought and the other a cross- then I urge you to pick up this series. This is a series that deals with racism, class, crime, freedom, love, hate, hope and territory, and I swear, this series has made me cry more than ANY OTHER. I kid you not. And it takes a lot to make me cry.
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(Booktube-a-thon books read from here)
7. Northern Lights (His Dark Materials #1), by Philip Pullman
Having attempted to read this a couple of times, I was less than enthusiastic to pick it up when it was assigned to my book club for this month. But after picking it up and finishing it, I enjoyed it, though I had a few problems with it.
I mean, when I picked up the book, I became invested in the story, the detail of the world that the story took place in. And it raised some interesting ideas about the world that I don't think any book has suggested.
But the book was so slow.
Don't get me wrong, the world was detailed, and the story was super interesting, which I reckon is why this trilogy is considered a masterpiece, but there wasn't much in this book that just made me jump out my chair, eyes glued to the page. It was good enough, and I suppose I would attempt the Subtle Knife if I had nothing else to read, but I don't think I'm going to carrying on with the trilogy any time soon.
Even though my review is slightly less than positive (I wrote it just under a year ago), I definitely enjoyed this book a lot more the second time around. Maybe because I had too high expectations, and I wasn't yet familiar with Leigh Bradugo's writing style. But when I read it this time around, I definitely slowed down, concentrated on what was happening, and thought about it, and I have to say, I connected with the characters a lot better this time around.
9. One of Us Is Lying, by Karen M. McManus
From the moment I heard about this, I was super intrigued. It tells the story of five people, all from different socials circles, that share detention. But only four leave detention alive. But the death was no accident. And the other four are suspects. Because Simon had secrets he would expose after about the other four.
Even if this challenge wasn't "Finish a book in one day", I'm still willing to bet that I would have finished it that day. Because the characters were so real, even though they were living a bunch of tropes (the stereotypes for what their social groups were.) But it was so good to see the whole group dynamic. And you never got the characters mixed up, which is a hard thing to do with a multi perspective book like this one.
Definitely reviewing this at some point this week.
10. Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2), by Leigh Bardugo
#intimidated. I'm just going to say that. Do you know how big this book is, and how small the print is????
But once I got over that, and got into the book itself, I was so blown away, I fell out of my chair!
(Not really, but THIS BOOK, OMG).
There are no words. Just read it.
Because it's amazing.
Just the emotions you feel when your reading this book. You become so angry, you want to hit something, just because you hate a certain character so much. Then you're just lost, the impact of the shock hits and it sends you reeling backwards, then you're sobbing your heart out because something irreversible has happened and it'll never be right again.
Just, read it.
DEFINITE review coming up.
11. Before I Die, by Jenny Downham
Before I start, you can probably tell, just by the title that this book is sad and depressing.
But it's also so god damn beautiful.
Here's the summary: Tessa Scott has leukemia. She's going to die, and there's no getting past that. But before she does, she has a list of ten things she wants to do. And she's not going to die until they're all done. This book is raw and gripping. But it's also hard to read, even though it's so easy to read through.
With this book, there are both sad and beautiful moments. And sometimes they seem sad, and beautiful, and it's all caught in a whirlwind, so you don't know which way is up sometimes! I've given this to some of my teachers, my mum, even my friends.
They all cried and loved it.
I cannot recommend this enough.
I re-read this because I wanted to relieve the love I had for this book, before I continue on with the trilogy next (I obtained the second book, which I talked about it in my july book haul , you can check that out too) and it was the last book I read for the booktube-a-thon that finished last night. For my full thoughts on the book you can click the review!
TELEVISION SHOWS AND FILMS
1. Waterloo Road (Series 3)
Although I haven't watched as much as last month, I have still continued to watch the first tv show that I watched as I grew up- and it still continues to excel and do amazing.
The amount that school has to deal with, I'm surprised it isn't closed (yes, I am aware that it's a fictional school and isn't real).
WRITING
... As for writing, I've done like literally nothing, because I've been reading so much.
But writing is my priority this month, and I'm hoping to get to page 100 for my second draft (I'm currently on Page 37).
So that is my July Wrap Up (2017)! I know it was rather a long wrap up, considering the amount of books I've read this month, but thank-you for reading it!
I hope you have a wonderful day, and an even better reading week, and I will be back on Wednesday with my August TBR (2017)!
Byeeeee!
-Abi xxxxxxx
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